Level



`(blo/Ieder.) I

- C. M. POTTER.

LEVEL.

Patented Deo. 28, 1897.

/N VEN TUI? TTHNEYS. I

WITNESSIS.'

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UNITE STAT-ns A'rnNr- Fries.

CHARLES MORTIMER POTTER, OF NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT.

LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,279, dated December 28, 1.897.

Application filed April 30, 1897. Serial No. 634,550. (No model.)

T all Awhom t may concern:

- Be it known that I, CHARLES MORTIMER POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Naugatuck, in the coun ty of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Levels, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to levels; and the object thereof is to provide an improved instrument of this class which is simple in construction and operation and by means of which a horizontal line may be quickly and easily found, even when the instrument is placed on an inclined surface.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated bythe same numerals of reference in each of the views, and in which- Figure lis a side view of-myimproved level, showing also the method of its operation; Fig. 2, a similar view showing a modified form of construction and the method of its operation' Fig. 3, a partial section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 1I, a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a side view of a de tail of the construction shown in Fig.'2; Fig. 6, a similar view at right angles to that of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a side and end view of a supplemental attachment which I employ; Fig. 8, a partial section on the line S 8 of Fig. 3; Fig. 9, a side view of a modified form of the construction shownin Fig. 5, and Fig. IO a similar view at right angles thereto.

In the practice of my invention I provide a level which comprises an oblong block 12, and this block may be of the usual form and construction, and in the opposite ends of this block and vertically thereof I form bores or passages 13, which are shown in dotted lines in Fig. l and in full lines in Fig. 2, and in these bores or passages are placed metal casings 14, which are angular in cross-section, as shown in Fig. S, said casings being preferably square'in cross-section, and in each of these casings is placed a sliding bar 15, which is also preferably square in form and which is provided with a central longitudinal bore Fig. 1.

16, which is screw-threaded, and mounted in the central longitudinal bore of the sliding bar 15 is a screw-threaded shaft 17.

The upper and lower ends of the bores or passages I3 are countersunk, and the lower ends of the casings le are flared outwardly, as shown at 1S, and the lower ends of the bars 15 are enlarged, as shown at I9.

The upper end of the casing is provided with a flange or rim 20, which is countersunk and bolted to the block I2, and the upper end of the shaft I7 is angular in form and provided with a collar 2l, which rests on said flange or rim and is held in place by a plate 22,which is secured to the block and the iiange or rim 2O by screws or bolts 23, and mounted on said shaft above theplate 22 is a thumbnut 24.

The thum'fb-nut 24. is mounted on the angular portion of the shaft 17, and by turning said thumb-nut said shaft may be turned' in the bar l5, and when said thumb-nut is turned in one direction the bar 15 will be projected below the block I2, as shown at the right of It will be understood that this construction is exactly the same at both ends of the block 12, and each of the bars 15 is provided with a scale, as shown at 25, at the righthand side of Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. l I have shown at 2G a portion of a beamer timber, which is provided withan upwardly-directed shoulder or extension 27, and by means of this construction I am enabledV to show the methodof the operation of my improved level, and it Will be observed that by resting one end of the level on the shoulder orprojection 27 and by turning the thumb-nut21i at the opposite end thelevel may be adj usted so as to find a horizontal line, as will be readily understood, and in Fig. 3 I have shown the beam or timber 26 arranged in an inclined plane, and it will be understood that this beam or timber may represent any inclined surface or structure.

In Fig. 2 I havealso show-n a modified form of construction, and in this construction I ein ploy all those features of the device hereinbefore described and which are shown in Figs. 1, 3, I and 3; but in the form of construction shown in Fig. 2 I provide an attachment for the lower ends of the sliding bars 14, which vconsists of a screw 28, which is adapted toe/ IOO screwed into the lower ends of said sliding bars, and these screws 2S are provided with heads or jaws 20, which are preferably of the form shown in Figs. 5 and G, and pivotally connected therewith by means of a bolt 30 are blocks or heads 31, provided with side jaws 32, through which the screw or bolt 30 is passed, and the blocks or heads 31 are provided with sharp screws 32, and the screws 32 are secured in a plate or board 33, which is thus made to forma part of the level, which is placed on the inclined surface, and by manipulating one of the thmnb-nuts 21 the level may be made to determine or locate a horizontal line, as hereinbefore described.

It will be observed that while the blocks or heads 29 are rigidly secured in the sliding bars 15 the blocks or heads 31 are pivotally connected with the blocks or heads 29, and by means of this construction the device may be made to operate,as will be readily understood.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown another form of the attachment shown in Figs. 5 and G, and in this form of construction the screws 32 are connected with a block or head composed of plates or jaws 35, the upper ends of which are mounted on the pivot-pin 30 and are bolted together centrally, as shown at 36, and the screws 32 are provided with a cross-head 87, which fits between the plates or jaws 35, through which is passed a pivot pin or bolt 38, and the screws 32 are therefore free to swing between the plates or jaws 35.

It will be understood that this device may be connected with the lower ends of the sliding bars 15, as hereinbefore described with reference to the construction shown in Figs. 5 and G, and in Fig. '7 I have shown another modification or attachment, by means of which the sliding bars 15, when used as shown in Fig. 1, may be lengthened. This attachment consists of a shaft 39, which is preferably angular in cross-section, and provided at its upper end with a screw 4.0 and at its lower end witl4 a foot 41, which is also provided with a screw-threaded bore 4-2, and this attachment may be connected with either or both of the sliding bars 15 by means of the screw L tO, and either of the attachments shown in Figs. 5 and G or 9 and 10 may be connected with the lower end thereof.

My improved level is simple in construction and operation and is perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it is apparent that changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A level which is provided at each end with a sliding bar which is passed vertically therethrough, each of said sliding bars being provided with a screw-threaded central bore, and with a screw-threaded shaft which is passed thereinto from the upper end thereof, and means for operating said screw-threaded shaft so that the sliding bars may be projected below the bottom of the level, said sliding bar being angular in cross-section and being mounted in casings which are secured in said level, and said sliding bars being also provided with scales which are formed thereon, and the lower ends thereof, being provided with attachments with which are pivotally connected blocks or heads provided with screws, substantially as shown and described.

2. A level which is provided at each end with a sliding bar which is passed vertically therethrough each of said sliding bars being providedwith a screw-threaded central bore7 and with a screw-threaded shaft which is passed thereinto from the upper end thereof, and means for operating said screw-threaded shaft so that the sliding bars may be projected below the bottom of the level, said sliding bars being angular in cross-section and being mounted in casings which are secured in said level, and said sliding bars being also provided with scales which are formed thereon, and the lower ends thereof7 being provided with attachments with which are pivotally connected blocks or heads provided with screws, and a plate or board which is connected with the level by means of said screws, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of April, 1897.

CHARLES MORTIMER POTTER.

lifitiiesses:

ANDREW LEARY, SETH D. BINGHAM.

IOO 

